Apparatus for governing movement of hand controlled power transmission



y 3 I H. F. VICKERS 2,164,971

APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING MOVEMENT OF HAND CONTROLLED POWER TRANSMISSiON Original Filed June 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

3552 23 I ficlens ATTORNEYS H. F. VICKERS 2,164,971

APPARATUS FOR GOVERNiNG MOVEMENT OF HAND CONTROLLED POWER TRANSMISSION July 4, 1939.

ori inal Filed June 15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. nyd rlyj fi'clera BY- '5 ATTORNEY Patented July 4, 1939 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING MOVEMENT OF HAND CONTROLLED POWER TRANS- MISSION Harry F. Vickers, Detroit, Mich.

Continuation of application Serial No. 26,800. June 15, 1935. This application July 28, 1938;

Serial No. 221,838

4 Claims.

This application is a. continuation of application Serial No. 26,800, filed June 15, 1935, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to apparatus for govern- 5 ing-movement of hand controlled power transmission, and has to do particularly with power driven mechanism of large mass actuated by a remote control hand crank through a follow up unit.v

Heretofore in power transmission systems embodying remote hand actuation and control of' relatively large masses, such as ship steering gears and the like, it has been a general practice to transmit movement of the hand crank through 16 asuitable follow up means, electric or hydraulic, to control the application of powerto the large mass to be moved. The application of the power itself to the driven mechanism has been simple enough, but much difficulty has been experienced 20 in devices of this kind, over a great many years, in the initial acceleration and final deceleration of the driven mechanism. Oftentimes the driven mechanism of large mass, such as a ship rudder requires quick movement or quick stopping; this 5 in turn required quick movement or quick stopping of the hand crank, often resulting in break age of connecting mechanism because of the large mass of the driven mechanism. In some instances the driven mechanisms have required smooth and uniform acceleration or deceleration, this has been almost impossible to accomplish at the hand crank, event with the most skilled operators. Electrical control units have been subject to the disadvantage of getting out of phase.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means for automatically governing the rate of acceleration or deceleration that may be given a certain mass by a remote control hand crank whereby to smooth out the start or stop 0 of the mass to positively prevent any breakage and, in addition, to insure uniform predetermined acceleration or deceleration.

More specifically, the present invention contemplates a remote control power transmission system embodying a driven mechanism of relatively large mass, a primary motor for driving such mass, a pump or generator or other source of power communicating with said motor through suitable-follow up valve or mechanism, a hand 50 crank for controlling the movement of one part .of the follow up valve-or means, and an inertia governor so proportioned relative. to the mass as to insure a predetermined acceleration or deceleration of the mass. A 55 Further features have to do with details of the (Cl. l21--41) remote control transmission system' and mecha' nism for carrying out the same, as will be more clearly set forth in the specification andclaims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through one type of power transmission unit wherein the hydraulic follow up valve and motor are in longitudinal alignment.

Figs. 2 to 6 are sectional views taken on lines 2-2 to 6-45 of Fig. 1 and showing in particular. the various positions of the follow up valve parts. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view 01- a complete transmission system embodying the present invention and embodying hydraulic power units and a hydraulic follow up valve.

A general understanding of the invention will be best had by referring to the diagrammatic showing in Fig. 7 wherein 2 represents the driven mechanism of a large mass, 3 a hydraulic motor supplying the power for moving said mass, 4 a liquid reservoir and 5 an electric motor and pump for supplying oil under pressure to the motor .3. A follow-up valve 6 having a movable element 1 is controlled by hand crank 8, and an inertia governor 8 is geared to the hand crank 8 and so proportioned as to insure that the acceleration rate of the crank 8 by a man turning the same shall be an amount below the acceleration rate of the mass 2 with the power available. The resistance to movement of the hand crank 8 is practically zero-without the governor, and this would permit the control part of the follow-up valve to be moved by the operator at rates beyond the acceleration rate of the driven member 2.

It will thus be seen that the correct proportioning of the inertia governor 9 to the mass and the power available to drive the same will result in the positive governing of the rate of acceleration to prevent changes of velocity in the driven member and to prevent any possibility of breakage. In addition, the positioning of the governor between the hand crank and the follow up valve insures a steadying influence against rapid starting or rapid deceleration so as to insure a uniform acceleration or deceleration.

In Figs. 1 to 6 I have illustrated the preferred mechanical embodiment of the diagrammatic showing of Fig. 7 wherein the hand crank member is represented as at 8 connected bymeans of suit able bevel gears III with the hand controlled element H of a rotary balanced follow up valve. This member ll consists of an annular slotted sleeve 12 which is adapted to rotate relative to or with a cylindrical valve member I3 which is integrally connected with the main operating shaft I4 driven by a hydraulic gear motor generally designated I5-which is connected by means of a coupling member I 6 with the driven mecha nism of relatively great mass. Diametrically positioned slots I2a are adapted to cooperate with longitudinal valve members or ridges Ito and Ilb formed in the cylindrical inner valve member I3. In the preferred form the slots I2a. are slightly wider than the ridges I30 and I3b so that in normal neutral position the oil is free to flow from one depression'in the-valve member II to the other, as best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

A sleeve I1 is adapted to besecured to or forms a part of the sleeve I2 and this sleeve I1 is provided with a plurality of ports I8 both circumferentially and longitudinally spaced. The inner walls of the follow up valve housing are provided with spaced annular grooves I 9 which are adapted to cooperate or align with the respective ports I8 of the sleeve H, the longitudinally and circumferentialiy spaced ports I8 being so arranged as to at all times connect the depressions of the alve par-t I3 with the proper annular grooves I9 regardless of the position of the shaft II and the annular sleeve I2 connected thereto.

Opera-ting fluid for actuating the motor I5 is supplied to conduit 20 and exhausted through conduit 2|. Inasmuch as the motor shaft I4 is adapted to be directly connected to a driven member of large mass, it will be obvious that accurate, positively controlled movement of the shaft I4 is important at all times. Flow of pressure fluid between the follow up valve and motor is by means of the conduits 22 and 23 which lead to and from the intake and exhaust chambers of the gear motor in the usual manner.

To insure accurate control of the driven member 2, I preferably utilize a follow up retarding device 24 of the type best indicated in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 1, one end of the follow up valve represented by the sleeves I2 and I1 is cut away to receive the retarding centering lug 24. Spring pressed lugs of the retarding device 24 contact with accurately machined surfaces 25 which are accurately predetermined relative'to the respective grooves in the follow up valve so as to insure that the control valve will always assume a positively neutral position on being centered. It will be seen that with these parts of the retarding device and the cut away portion of the sleeve accurately machined the grooves in the one portion of the follow up device will be positively centered.

relative to the grooves in the other portion of the foZlow up device. Displacement of the follow up member I I relative to the follow up portion II will result in practically instantaneous movement of the motor I5 and hence substantially instantaneous movement of the other follow up part II. As long'as the control shaft II is continuously turned in either direction the member 24 and the valve part II will follow this movement, but the instant the hand controlled shaft II Is stopped, then the valve sleeve I1 will be positively retarded and neutralized relative to the extending lug on the retarding device 24, with the result that the driven member will come to a stop at the exact point predetermined by the stopping of the hand actuated shaft II, and thus prevent any overrun of the motor I4 and driven member which would otherwise be caused by friction between the follow up valve parts.

Operation of the follow up device, which is so important in connection with the inertia governor, may be best illustrated by referring to Figs. 2

to 6 which represent sections taken on lines 2! tioned between the slots. The outer sleeve H has eight apertures I8 which are in alignment with the slots I2a and apertures Ila of the sleeve I2, such apertures I8 and Its being-arranged so that they correspond with the proper grooves a, b, c and d in the housing. The raised portions between the. depressions I So and I St) and the valve I3 are preferably of a width slightly less than the width of the grooves I2a so that with the valve sleeve I2 in central position, fluid will pass through the ports II of the sleeve II, which are in alignment with said ports Ito, and as the raised portions of the valve I3 are of less width than the grooves I20, the fluid will pass from the diametrically opposite depressions lib into adjacent diametrically opposite depressions I 30. Fluid flowing past the raised portions of the valve I3 and entering diametrically opposed depressions IIa will pass out through the registering ports Ila and I8 and then by way of annular groove a, enter the outlet conduit 2|. Thus, while oil will be continuously supplied equally to both opposed working chambers of the motor, the continuous circulation of fluid, as shown in Figs. .3 and 4, permits the use of a continuously operating pump; and all the parts being diametrically arranged, as shown, will result in a completely balanced follow up valve structure. Both parts of the follow up valve are balanced at all times, any incoming or outgoing pressure on one side is equally counterbalanced on the other side: whether internal or external.

Actuation of the shaft I I will result in movement of the, sleeve I2 relative to the central follow up valve member II so that, referring to Fig. 5, the outlet from the depressions Ilb is confined to a single slotted portion Ila with the result that fluid flowing into the depressions Iib from the inlet port 2| will be conducted through the con duit 22 to themotor I5, while fluid, from the exthe retarding mechanism shown in Fig. 2; it being understood that the spring of the retarding device 24 is of just sumcient strength to overcome the friction between the follow up valve parts. Thus all over travel is eliminated without in any way aflec'ting the continuous hydraulic control through the follow up valve. I

In the preferred showing and modifications it will be obvious in every instance that the resistance to movement of the hand crank would be practically zero without the inertia f governor which would permit the hand control to be moved by the operator at rates beyond the safe acceleration rate of the driven member 2 of relatively great mass. By proportioningtheinertiagovernor relative to the size of the driven member 2 and below the acceleration or deceleration rate of the driven member with the given power available.

It will be understood that the ports of the follow up valve, as illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6, may be closed in center position instead of open, as illustrated-so as to obtain a locking action. In such a case some other means will be provided for circulating the fluid pressure or a different type of pump can be used. Where open ports are used as illustrated in Figs. 2 to 6, outside mechanical means can be utilized to obtain the locking action.

What I claim is:

1. In a power transmitting system of the type having a driven member of relatively large mass, power amplifying means directly connected to said mass for controlling the actuation thereof, a source of power supply, and a rotary hand operated control member for controlling the flow of power to said power amplifier and the actuation of said mass, a follow up unit interposed between the power supply and power amplifier, said unit comprising relatively freely movable parts, one of said parts being connected to the control member and another part being connected to the power amplifier, said connection between the control member, follow up unitand power amplifier being "such that the resistance to movement of the control member is practically zero, and an inertia governor operatively connected to said hand control member for governing the rate of acceleration applied to said control member by the operator, the effective mass of said inertia governor being proportioned to the relative available power for actuating said driven member.

2. In a power transmitting system of the type having a driven member of relatively large mass,

power amplifying means directly connected to said mass for controlling the actuation thereof, a source of power supply, and a rotary hand operated control member for controlling the flow of power to said power amplifier and the actuation of said mass, a follow up unit interposed between the power supply and the power amplifier, said unit comprising relatively freely movable parts,- one of said parts being connected to the control member and another part being connected to the power amplifier, said connection, between the control member, follow up unit and power amplifier being such that the resistance to movement of the control member is practically zero, and an inertia governor in the form of a fly wheel me- 3. In a power transmitting system of the type having a driven member of relatively large mass, a fluid motor for driving said mass, a source of power supply, and a follow up mechanism interposed between said power supply .and motor, said follow up mechanism including two relatively movable parts for controlling the flow of fluid therethrough, one of said parts being rotatably mounted, and a hand crank for controlling the movement of said mass and connected to said rotary movable part of said follow up mechanism, the structure of the follow up mechanism being such that the resistance to, movement of the rotary part connected to said hand crank is relatively small, and an inertia governor operatively connected to said hand crank for governing the rate of acceleration applied to the hand crank by the operator. i

4. In a power transmitting system of the type having a driven member of relatively large mass,

an amplifier in the form of a hydraulic motor of.

predetermined power for driving said mass, a source of power supply for said motor, and a followup valve interposed between said power supply and said motor, said follow up valve comprising two relatively freely movable parts one part being directly connected tothe operating part of the motor and the other part being directly connected to a hand crank, said two parts of the follow up valve being arranged to control the flow of liquid therethrough but offering very little resistance to the movement of the part connected to the hand crank, and an inertia governor operatively connected to said hand crank and having an effective mass proportioned relative to the power available at the motor and to the mass of the driven member whereby to insure that the acceleration or deceleration rate of the hand crank of the average operator is below the safe acceleration or deceleration of the driven member with the given power available.

HARRY F. VICKERS. 

